It is a tumultuous world we live in, with little rhyme and even less reason at times. A country can go from being a major global economy with enviable living conditions, to being devastated by an earthquake, leaving the world reeling at the mounting death toll.
A death toll that could be far worse. No country could have been better prepared for such a disaster as this. Japan learned from its mistakes after the 1995 Kobe earthquake, and its buildings today for the most part meet stringent safety requirements that made them better able to resist the destruction.
It’s one of a few things that has emerged out of the news lately that has gotten my attention — a tiny sliver of hope in the midst of a bad situation.
Here then, are the other things I’m grateful for lately, albeit in a bittersweet kind of way.
Mother nature throwing us a bone
We experience a lot of suffering here in South Africa. But mostly it’s of our own making. Thankfully we’re at less of a risk when it comes to natural disasters — because of our geographical positioning — particularly in terms of earthquakes. And that is just as well, as our disaster management as a country is pretty poor.
A lack of investment and bad planning is to blame. The magnitude of the summer floods of mid-December were pretty minor when compared with the devastating and dramatic floods that struck Queensland, Australia. But it left nearly 100 people dead here in South Africa — more than double those killed in Australia’s floods.
Fortunately, however, the only warnings we have to contend with are the idiotic ramblings of British tabloids, who, ahead of the Fifa World Cup, added an earthquake warning to the rest of their slew of sensationalist drivel about South Africa.
A rocking democracy
I mean that in both ways. Being ruled by a party as broad and powerful as the ANC makes for interesting times, especially when they’re being torn apart by infighting. But while factions rock the ruling party boat, it also occasionally spits out some things very much in keeping with the way a democracy is supposed to work: like a new (party and, effectively, country) president every few years. Former president Thabo Mbeki wasn’t allowed to overstay his rule of two terms by his party, which gave us Jacob Zuma. He, too, has had to squash succession talks rather early in his term of office. This sets us far apart from other African countries, where a dictator for life is generally the norm.
Saying sorry like you mean it
Last week I made some damning statements in my column about what I saw as Trevor Manuel’s politicking around government spokesperson Jimmy Manyi’s racist comments about coloureds in the Western Cape. This week, I must eat my words. Well, some of them at least.
Shortly after my column was published, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe chastised Manuel for his letter, if sources are to be believed, at a two-day meeting of the party’s national executive committee in Pretoria. This was followed by Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane’s statement smacking down calls for Manyi’s resignation and reiterating the Presidency’s full support for their resident racist — I mean, spokesperson.
It blew my suspicion out of the water: that the ANC had put Manuel up to the letter to gain the coloured vote in the Western Cape.
So I’m rather grateful for the ability to say sorry. Not the in the ANC way, mind you. Mandy Rossouw has already pointed out how Zuma’s tenure in office is likely to be known as “the age of the apology”: dishing out a meaningless sorry and carrying on with business as usual.
It seems my conjecture about Manuel’s motives was incorrect. And I am — sincerely — sorry about getting it wrong.
And speaking of Manuel …
He is quoted in the Wall Street Journal this past weekend as slamming the corrupt R9-billion ArcelorMittal BEE deal involving President Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane. His people have denied it, but I’m grateful that someone in high places is taking note of this travesty of justice. Even if it is the authoritative Wall Street Journal, which in its article, warns against the evils of tenderpreneurism.
So there you have it: my list this week of things I’m grateful for. Not so much a silver lining as a grasping at straws? Perhaps. But it keeps me sane.
- You can read Verashni’s column every Monday here, and follow her on Twitter here.